The Backstory I never told

I made a promise that changed everything.

I lived at an elevated lifestyle due to my inheritance — not due to my own efforts. My siblings toed the line and got their ten millions. I, on the other hand, banked everything on my talent, my smarts. In any case, my mother assured me she would make up the difference in her will someday, when we talked about my selling out of the family business.

It didn’t occur to me to get that offhand assurance in writing.

I underestimated one brother in particular. It’s not hard to wrest power-of-attorney from an old person with declining faculties, especially if they trust you already. It’s an old story. Add to that the fact that I was stupid, naive and unprepared for how that would play out.

Adding insult to injury, I tried to interfere toward the end of her life when it was obvious she was being mistreated.That put me on the wrong side of the guy with the power. All he had to do was wave a hand and I was disinherited. It was a no-brainer.

Anyone — except me — could have predicted it.

My transition from privilege and robust good health to a tumble toward homelessness and bad health was not sudden. It took almost five years. I kept grabbing for a foothold on the side of the mountain I was slipping uncontrollably down, but I had lived as a…